GIFT  OF 


tita 


atform 
offhritian 


A 
PLATFORM  OF  CHRISTIAN  UNITY 

BY 

HENRY  SAFFORD   KING 


A  PLATFORM 

OF 

CHRISTIAN  UNITY 


BY 

HENRY   SAFFORD    KING 


DAVIS  &  BOND 

BOSTON         :         MASS. 


COPYRIGHT,  1917, 

BY  HENRY  SAFFORD  KING 

All  rights  reserved 


THIS  BOOK  IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDI- 
CATED TO  MY  MOTHER,  TO  WHOM  —  FOR 
HER  EXAMPLE  OF  CHRISTIAN  LOVE  —  I 
OWE  A  DEBT  OF  HOMAGE  AND  GRATITUDE 
THAT  I  CAN  NEVER  ADEQUATELY  REPAY 


468089 


PREFACE 

Is  the  Bible  authority? 

Is  good  more  powerful  than  evil? 

These  are  the  great  questions  of  the 
age.  On  their  correct  answer  depends  the 
achievement  of  Christian  unity. 

Many  people  who  profess  to  believe  the 
Bible,  unconsciously  reject  it  in  daily  life. 
Theoretically  they  accept  its  authority. 
Practically  they  deny  it. 

And  there  are  many  who  admit  as  a 
philosophical  truism  the  assertion  that 
good  is  more  powerful  than  evil,  and  think 
in  so  doing  that  they  are  standing  upon 
approved  orthodox  soil.  But  Christ's 
Christianity  is  not  merely  a  philosophy. 
His  Christianity  came  with  power;  and  if 
it  ever  had  power  in  the  past,  it  has  it  now, 
and  is  able  to  retain  it  for  ever.  There- 
fore, the  statement  that  good  is  more 
powerful  than  evil  must  be  accepted  —  if 
9 


10  PREFACE 

it  is  to  have  any  force  —  with  all  its  im- 
plications. It  must  become  recognized 
that  good  is  divine  substance,  and  that  it 
is  not  merely  morally  superior  to  evil,  and 
more  legitimate,  but  intrinsically  superior 
to  evil ;  that  it  is  positive  and  self-existent, 
whereas  evil  is  negative  and  not  self- 
existent. 

Besides,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that 
Protestantism  stands  or  falls  with  the 
Bible,  and  the  Bible  cannot  prove  itself 
true.  If  the  modern  sciences  challenge 
the  truth  of  the  Bible,  then  Christians 
must  answer  that  challenge  on  the  ground 
of  the  sciences'  choosing.  In  short,  the 
arena  of  religious  conflict  has  shifted  from 
the  field  of  dogma  to  that  of  practical 
metaphysics.  Those  still  leaning  on  dogma 
are  out  of  touch  with  their  age.  They  are 
supporting  their  systems  of  dogma.  They 
are  not  supporting  the  Bible. 

But  the  Bible  has  its  defenders.  In  this 
age  thousands  of  Christians  have  answered 
the  challenge  of  modern  science.  They 
have  discovered  the  central  truth  of  the 


PREFACE  1 1 

scriptures;  namely,  that  absolute  good  is 
more  powerful  than  all  evil.  They  have 
proved  the  truth  of  the  Bible.  They  have 
restored  its  rightful  authority. 

In  doing  this  they  have  discovered  the 
basis  for  Christian  unity,  and  this  dis- 
covery reveals  the  fact  that  all  other  ques- 
tions are  secondary,  are  outer  circles  of 
this  great  central  truth. 

This  discovery  has  led  to  a  movement 
for  Christian  unity  that  is  already  world- 
wide in  its  scope.  It  is  drawing  all  nations 
into  its  current  It  is  sweeping  on. 

Are  not  those  who  stand  aloof  from  this 
current  cheating  themselves  of  the  in- 
spiration that  flows  from  fellowship  in  a 
mighty  movement?  Are  they  not  being 
left  behind  in  the  most  significant  event 
since  the  opening  of  the  Christian  era? 
Can  Protestants  afford  to  be  content  with 
their  anomalous  attitude  toward  the  Bible? 
Can  they  be  satisfied  with  an  attempt  to 
achieve  mere  church  unity  based  on  making 
a  concession  here,  dropping  a  doctrine 
there?  Will  not  such  unity  be  merely 


12  PREFACE 

external  and  their  Christianity  an  emascu- 
late Christianity? 

Furthermore,  are  we  not  standing  upon 
the  threshold  of  an  era  in  which  the  world 
is  becoming  a  single  community?  And 
will  not  Christianity  have  to  rise  in  true 
greatness  and  power  to  meet  the  demands 
of  this  era,  or  miserably  fail  in  its  mission? 

In  the  hope  that  a  word  might  be  said 
to  bring  home  the  issue  to  earnest  people, 
the  following  lines  were  penned 

HENRY    SAFFORD    KING. 


TABLE  OF   CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTION 15 

I.    Conflict  of  good  and  evil 21 

II.    Bible    distinguishes    between     good 

and  evil 23 

III.  Good  denned 23 

IV.  Evil  defined .  24 

V.    Superiority  of  good  over  evil 26 

VI.    Good  eternally  available 27 

VII.    Christian  healing  by  divine  Mind.  ...  28 

VIII.    Mere  healing  no  proof  of  Christianity  29 
IX.    The    Bible    the    only    documentary 

authority 30 

X.    Proof  of  authority  of  Bible  is  neces- 
sary    32 

XI.    Personal  authority 33 

XII.    Personality  not  a  factor . .  34 

XIII.  Spiritual  individuality 36 

XIV.  Christianity  an  individual  discovery.  38 
XV.    Christianity  successful 39 

XVI.    Christianity  to  develop 40 

XVII.   Adding  to  the  words  of  the  book.  ...  41 

XVIII.    Progress  necessary 43 

XIX.    Need  of  self-sacrifice 44 

XX.    Intuition 45 

13 


14  TABLE   OF    CONTENTS 

XXI.    True  science 46 

XXII.    Reason  and  emotion 47 

XXIII.  God  is  Principle 48 

XXIV.  Nature,  life,  and  law  spiritual 49 

XXV.  Relative  and  absolute  in  Christianity  50 

XXVI.    Church  and  State 51 

XXVII.    Purpose  of  Christianity :  . .  .  52 

XXVIII.   The  word  heretic  obsolete 53 

XXIX.    Christians  can  unite 55 

XXX.   " Come  unto  me" 57 


INTRODUCTION 

The  Bible  is  difficult  to  understand  for 
several  reasons. 

Among  these  the  following  may  be 
mentioned : 

1.  It  is  the  product  of  ancient  times. 

2.  It  is  oriental. 

3.  It  is  a  translation. 

4.  It  is  not  one  book,  but  many.    . 

5.  It  has  a  spiritual  message. 

The  first  four  difficulties  may  be  lessened 
by  bearing  in  mind  that: 

(i)  The  ancient  Hebrews  had  standards 
and  conceptions  very  different  from  ours, 
and  they  did  not  express  themselves  as  do 
we. 

The  ancient  Hebrews  in  many  respects 
were  very  crude* 

Their  scriptures  were  therefore  addressed 
to  a  cruder  civilization  than  ours. 

(2) .  The  orientals  expressed  themselves 
15 


1 6  *  INTRODUCTION 


ancents. 

(4)    The  Bible  is 
whole  natio^Witemture. 


by  means  of  an  extensive  symbolism,  which 
was  part  of  their  idiom. 

In  interpreting  the  Bible  this  symbolism 
must  constantly  be  kept  in  mind. 

We  must  not  make  the  mistake  of  inter- 
preting literally  things  that,  to  the  oriental, 
had  a  symbolical  meaning,  or  that  repre- 
sented a  type. 

On  the  other  hand,  great  care  should  be 
exercised  lest'  the  student  fall  into  the 
habit  of  reading  into  the  ancient  accounts 
more  than  they  intend  to  teach. 

Aside  from  its  symbolism,  the  language 
of  the  Bible  is  usually  simple  and  direct. 

The  Bible  is  not  subtle. 

Much  of  the  Bible  is  to  be  interpreted 
literally. 

(3)  The  best  translation  of  any  litera- 
ture does  not  always  succeed  in  reproduc- 
ing the  exact  flavor  of  the  original. 


INTRODUCTION  IJ 

Modern  translations  of  the  Bible  have 
been  of  vast  help  to  the  student,  but  where 
difficult  passages  occur  it  is  possible  that 
the  translator  has  been  unable  to  catch 
the  exact  sense  of  the ~  original,  which  was 
no  doubt  perfectly  obvious  to  the  ancients. 

(4)  The  Bible  is  not  one  book,  but  a 
whole  national  literature. 

Its  books  may  be  likened  to  milestones 
in  humanity's  progress. 

But  it  cannot  be  maintained  that  every 
word  of  the  Bible  is  inspired. 

On  the  other  hand,  inspiration  is  not  to 
be  regarded  as  abnormal. 

It  does  not  involve  a  deus  ex  machina. 

Inspiration  is  partly  illumination,  partly 
discovery,  partly  logical  reasoning. 

It  involves  aspiration,  purity,  consecra- 
tion, goodness,  intelligence,  intuition,  cour- 
age. 

The  Bible  is  the  record  of  the  struggle 
of  the  ancient  Hebrews  to  discover,  under- 
stand, and  practise  truth. 

Parts  of  the  Bible  are  no  longer  necessary 
in  the  education  of  the  human  race.  See 


1 8  INTRODUCTION 

Deut.  18  :  15;   Gal.  3  :  24-25;  Heb.  7  : 
1.9;  Heb.  10  :  8-9. 

But  its  greatest  messages  have  not  been 
superseded. 

The  Bible,  in  its  highest  teaching,  is  still 
authority,  and  will  remain  so  until  clearer 
views  of  truth  than  it  gives  have  become 
the  permanent  possession  of  mankind. 

The  fifth  difficulty  is  overcome  by 
spiritual  interpretation. 

It  is  difficult  to  define  spiritual  interpre- 
tation, but  if  the  spiritual  message  is  the 
highest  message,  then  spiritual  interpreta- 
tion is  that  which  traces  the  golden  thread 
of  the  highest  conceptions  of  the  Bible,  and 
shows  their  logical  connection. 

Spiritual  interpretation  is  like  the  soldier 
of  fortune  returning  from  the  wars.  He 
met  an  ancient  woman  who  led  him  to  a 
hollow  tree.  In  the  tree  he  found  a  room 
with  a  chest  of  copper  money.  After 
filling  his  pockets  with  this  treasure,  he 
went  to  another  room,  where  he  found  a 
chest  of  silver.  Throwing  away  his  copper 
he  laded  himself  with  the  more  precious 


INTRODUCTION  1 9 

metal.  In  the  third  room  he  found  a 
chest  of  gold.  Again  he  emptied  his 
pockets,  and  filled  them  with  all  the  gold 
he  could  carry  away. 

The  student  of  the  Bible  is  like  this 
soldier.  He  finds  in  the  Bible  various 
conceptions  of  God,  man,  and  the  church. 
Some  of  these  conceptions  are  crude  and 
primitive,  corresponding  to  the  crude  and 
primitive  state  of  the  people  to  whom  they 
were  addressed. 

Other  conceptions  are  the  highest  teach- 
ings that  have  been  presented  to  the  human 
mind. 

To  have  a  logical  system  of  thinking, 
the  student  must  discard  the  copper;  he 
must  reject  all  teachings  that  do  not  har- 
monize with  the  highest  concept.  Both  his 
premises  and  conclusions  must  be  pure  gold. 

Says  Lessing:  "  To  acknowledge  a  God,  to 
seek  to  arrive  at  the  highest  conceptions  of 
him,  to  take  into  consideration  these  highest 
conceptions  in  all  our  actions  and  thoughts, 
constitutes  the  most  complete  essence  of  all 
natural  religion." 


A    PLATFORM    OF 
CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

i 

CONFLICT    OF    GOOD    AND    EVIL* 

1.  The  starting-point  of  all  religion  is 
the  conflict  of  good  and  evil. 

2.  It   furnishes   the   universal    human 
problem. 

3.  If  there  were  no  belief  in  evil  there 
would  be  no  need  of  religion. 

4.  The  essential  function  of  a  religion 
is  to  define  and  separate  good  and  evil, 
and  to  solve  the  human  problem. 

5.  The   state  which   results   from    the 
solution  of  the  problem  is  called  salvation. 

*  The  reader  is  reminded  at  the  outset  that  this 
book  is  not  intended  to  be  a  textbook  of  Christian 
unity.   -  It  is  merely  a  primer,  a  "small  book  of  ele- 
mentary principles"  of  this  subject. 
21 


22    A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

6.  It    means    health,   wholeness,    holi- 
ness, satisfaction. 

7.  Salvation  is  on  the  side  of  good. 

8.  The  method  of  attaining  salvation 
is  to  destroy  the  belief  in  evil  through  the 
employment  of  an  understanding  of  good. 

9.  The  triumph  of  good  is  the  solution 
of  the  human  problem. 

10.  Elements  of  a  religion  that  do  not 
lend    themselves    to    the    solution    of    the 
problem  are  useless. 

11.  The  more  complicated  and  formal  a 
religion  becomes,  the  more  useless  it  is. 

12.  The    simpler    and    more    direct    a 
religion,  the  better. 

13.  That  religion  is  the  best  which  has 
the  most  propositions  that  can  be  used  in 
destroying  evil,  and  the  fewest  that  cannot. 

14.  That  religion  should  be  adopted  by 
mankind  which  fulfils  its  essential  function : 
which  furnishes  correct  definitions  of  good 
and    evil,    and    shows    mankind    how    to 
destroy  evil  with  good,   thus  solving  the 
human  problem. 


A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    23 
II 

THE   BIBLE   DISTINGUISHES   BE- 
TWEEN GOOD  AND  EVIL 

1.  The  Bible  makes  a  sharp  distinction 
between  good  and  evil. 

2.  Good  is  never  identical  with  evil. 

3.  Evil  is  never  identical  with  good. 

4.  No  good  can  proceed  from  evil. 

5.  No  evil  can  proceed  from  good. 

6.  Good    and    evil    are   separate,    dis- 
inct,  mutually  exclusive  and  repugnant. 

7.  The  one  cannot  be  used  as  a  means 
of  effecting  the  purposes  of  the  other. 

8.  Good  is  constructive. 

9.  Evil  is  destructive. 

10.  Good  is  spiritual. 

11.  Evil  is  material. 

12.  Good  is  positive. 

13.  Evil  is  negative. 

Ill 
GOOD   DEFINED 

i.    Good  is  that  which  in  blessing  one 
blesses  all. 


24    A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY 

2.  Good  is  universal. 

3.  It  cannot  be  monopolized. 

4.  It  is  not  national,  geographical,  or 
denominational. 

5.  It  has  nothing  to  do  with  climate, 
temperament,  or  racial  tradition. 

6.  It  is  fixed  Principle. 

7.  It  is  changeless. 

8.  It    is    metaphysical:     outside    and 
beyond  material  brains  and  bodies. 

9.  It  is  the  quality  of  divine  Love. 

10.  It  is  very  God  of  very  God. 

11.  It    is    intelligence,    Love,    wisdom, 
strength,  Soul,  Life,  Truth,  law. 

12.  Good  reflected  by  mankind  is  un- 
selfishness,   generosity,    kindness,    mercy, 
patience,  hospitality,  forgiveness. 

13.  Everything  is  good  that  comes  from 
God. 

IV 
EVIL   DEFINED 

1.  Evil  is  the  adversary. 

2.  It  is  all  that  resists  good;  the  oppo- 


A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    25 

site    of    good;     the    counterfeit    of    good; 
Satan. 

3.  Satan  is  not  a  personal  devil. 

4.  He  is  "  der  Geist,  der  stets  verneint." 

5.  A  resisting  state  of  consciousness  to 
all  that  is  good. 

6.  Self-love,  hypocrisy,  laziness  are  all 
adversaries. 

7.  Hatred  of  the  spiritual  idea  is  an 
adversary. 

8.  Envy,    jealousy,    hatred,    subtlety, 
greed,  false  ambition  —  all  militate  against 
spirituality. 

9.  Evil  is  the  deceiver. 

10.  Evil  disrupts,  separates,  destroys. 

11.  Evil    produces    confusion,    division, 
disorder,  chaos. 

12.  It  engenders  suspicion  where  there 
should  be  confidence. 

13.  Evil  is  everything  that  prevents  the 
kingdom   of   heaven   from   being   realized 
here  and  now. 

14.  Disease  is  an  evil. 

15.  Death  is  an  evil. 

1 6.  Evil  challenges  divine  law. 


26    A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

17.  It  seeks  to  present  an  exception  to 
God's  law. 

1 8.  It    would    deceive    the   world    into 
thinking    that    life    and    satisfaction    are 
material  instead  of  spiritual. 

19    Evil  is  that  which,  in  satisfying  one, 
harms  another. 

20.  Evil  is  not  of  God. 

21.  Evil  cannot  be  said  to  have  real, 
independent  existence. 

22.  From    God's    standpoint   evil   does 
not  exist. 

23.  Evil's  only  existence  is  in  the  mortal 
consciousness. 

V 
SUPERIORITY  OF  GOOD  OVER  EVIL 

1.  The  central  teaching  of  Christianity 
is  the  superiority  of  the  power  of  good  over 
evil. 

2.  Good  can  destroy  evil,  but  evil  can- 
not destroy  good. 

3.  It  is  only  through  the  understanding 
and  practice  of  this  truth  that  salyation 
may  be  attained. 


A   PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY    27 

4.  The    Bible   in    the   Old   Testament 
confidently    promises    that   good    is    more 
powerful  than  evil. 

5.  But  only  in  the  New  Testament  do 
we  have  full  proof  of  this  fact! 

6.  Christianity  was  successful  as  long 
as  —  in  healing   the  sick  and  raising  the 
dead  —  it  proved  by  practice  the  superior 
power  of  good  over  evil. 

7.  Christianity  was  a  failure  when  it 
had  ceased  to  prove  and  only  preached. 

8.  Christianity  is  not  merely  a. pallia- 
tive to  be  applied  to  evil  conditions. 

9.  The   means   of   attaining   salvation 
is  the  absolute  destruction  of  evil   in  in- 
dividual human  consciousness. 

VI 
GOOD  ETERNALLY  AVAILABLE 

1.  Good  is  eternally  available. 

2.  It  may  appear  or  reappear  at  any 
time. 

3.  There  is  no  limit  to  the  universal 
availability  of  good  in  human  experience. 


28    A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

4.  Nothing   shall   hinder    the   pure   in 
heart  in  any  age  from  apprehending  and 
utilizing  good. 

5.  Christian  healing  is  a  logical  corol- 
lary of  the  availability  of  good   and   the 
superiority  of   good   over   every  form   of 
evil. 

VII 

CHRISTIAN    HEALING   BY    DIVINE 
MIND 

1.  Christian  healing  is  a  manifestation 
of  the  power  of  divine  Mind  in  human 
affairs. 

2.  It  is  the  operation  of  good  in  human 
consciousness. 

3.  It  is  based  on  divine  law. 

4.  It  destroys  evil. 

5.  Just     as     the     Bible     distinguishes 
sharply  between  good  and  evil,  so  it  draws 
the  line  between  right  healing  and  wrong 
healing. 

6.  Right   healing   is   one   of   the   safe- 
guards of  religion. 


A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY    29 

7.  It  acknowledges  good  —  God  —  as 
the  only  power. 

8.  Healing    by    the    power    of    divine 
Mind  —  by  the  power  of  good  over  evil, 
by  the  perfect  idea  of  divine  Mind  —  is 
right  healing. 

9.  By    right    healing    no    one   can   be 
harmed,   because   spiritual    healing   is   the 
operation  of  the  power  of  good  in  human 
consciousness,  and  in  this  power  of  good 
there  is  no  element  of  destruction  or  harm. 

10.  If  God  is  not  the  power  in  Christian 
healing,  no  mortal  has  ever  yet  been  able 
to  say  what  is  the  power. 

VIII 

MERE  HEALING  NO  PROOF  OF 
CHRISTIANITY 

1.  Mere  healing  is  no  proof  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

2.  The  human  mind  is  not  a  healer, 

3.  Emotion  is  not  a  healer. 

4.  Blind  faith  is  not  a  healer. 

5.  Religious  ecstasy  is  not  a  healer. 


3O    A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY 

6.  Hypnotism  is  not  a  healer. 

7.  Personal  magnetism  is  not  a  healer. 

8.  Suggestion   in   no  way   enters   into 
Christian  healing. 

9.  Hypnotism  is  not  good. 

10.  Suggestion  is  not  good. 

11.  Human  will  is  not  good. 

12.  The  exercise  of  hypnotism,  sugges- 
tion, or  human  will  is  not  the  practice  of 
Christianity. 

'13.    Hypnotism  is  the  control  of  one  will 
or  personality  by  another. 

14.  This  is  not  a  demonstration  of  the 
superiority  of  good  over  evil,   or  of  the 
overcoming  of  evil  with  good. 

15.  It  is  merely  brute  warfare. 

IX 

THE  BIBLE  THE  ONLY  DOCUMEN- 
TARY AUTHORITY 

lo   The     Bible     is.   the     documentary 
authority  of  Christendom. 

2.  No  other  " tradition"  is  authority. 

3.  Historic  Christianity  is  not  authority. 


A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    3! 

4.  The  Darwinian  theory  and  material 
sciences  are  not  authority. 

5.  The  Christianity  of  the  Bible  raised 
the  race  to  the  highest  level  it  has  ever 
reached. 

6.  It  should  be  the  aim  of  Christians 
in  this  age  to  reach  that  level  and  exceed  it. 

7.  If  the  Bible-teaching  could  elevate 
the  race  to  such  a  high  level  of  living  once, 
it  can  do  it  again. 

8.  Philosophy  has  failed  to  do  it. 

9.  Art  has  failed  to  do  it. 

10.  Natural  science  has  failed  to  do  it. 

11.  Historic   Christianity  has  failed  to 
do  it. 

12.  Historic  Christianity  has  not  been 
based  solely  on  the  Bible. 

13.  To  recover  the  Christianity  of  the 
Bible,    all    outside    authorities    must    be 
rejected. 

14.  With  the  exception  of  portions  of 
the  Old  Testament  and  a  few  of  the  New, 
the    Bible   has    not   been   outgrown.     Cf. 
I.  Cor.  ii  :  13. 

15.  It  is  still  the  teacher  of  the  race,  and 


32    A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY 

it  will  continue  so  to  be  until  the  race  has 
been  lifted  nearer  its  spiritual  level;  until 
the  race  understands  its  truths  and  has 
made  them  its  own;  until  the  race  is  able 
to  practise  those  truths  without  the  help 
of  its  reminders. 

1 6.  The  Bible  is  authority  because  it 
is  true;  because  it  has  the  clearest  state- 
ments of  the  truth. 

X 

PROOF    OF    AUTHORITY    OF    THE 
BIBLE   IS   NECESSARY 

1.  Merely  to  assert  that  the  Bible  is 
authority  is  "fatuous. 

2.  Merely  to  believe  that  the  Bible  is 
authority  is  not  sufficient. 

3.  Many  people  reject  its  authority,, 

4.  They  refuse  to  admit  its  truth. 

5.  They  sneer  at  its  inspiration. 

6.  Therefore    pious    profession    alone 
will  not  sustain  the  authority  of  the  Bible. 

7.  Neither   will    the   keenest   dialectic 
logic  uphold  its  truth. 


A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UN.ITY    33 

8.  You  cannot  prove  intellectually  that 
the  Bible  is  true. 

9.  The  Bible  teaches  the  truth  about 
life. 

10.  Therefore    the    only    proof    of    the 
Bible's  truth  and  authority  is  in  terms  of 
human  life. 

11.  If  the  truth  of  the  Bible  is  under- 
stood, it  can  be  practised  and  proved  in 
actual  human  conditions. 

12.  A  single  proof  in  actual  living  con- 
ditions annihilates  a  thousand  arguments 
in  intellectual  combat. 

13.  That    religion    deserves    the    most 
considerate  hearing  whose  practice  proves 
that  the  Bible  is  true. 

XI 
PERSONAL  AUTHORITY 

1.  Personal   authority  is  a   matter  of 
spiritual  attainment. 

2.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  mystic  succes- 
sion, of  laying  on  of  hands,  or  of  taking 
orders. 


34    A    PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

3.    Authority  is  not  material. 
4     It  is  not  external. 

5.  Only  he  who  correctly  understands 
the  definitions  of  good  and  evil,  and  is  able 
to  prove  in  the  laboratory  of  actual  human 
experience  that  good  is  more  powerful  than 
evil  has  authority  to  teach. 

6.  The  more  a  person  understands  of 
divine  good,  the  more  humble  he  becomes, 
and  the  less  liable  to  abuse  his  authority. 

7.  The  greatest  authority  will  always 
be  associated  with  the  greatest  humility. 

8.  This  humility  cannot  be  feigned. 

XII 
PERSONALITY  NOT  A  FACTOR 

1.  Personality  is  not  a  factor  in  Chris- 
tian activity. 

2.  Jesus  said:     "Of  myself   I   can   do 
nothing." 

3.  This  "myself"  was  his  personality. 

4.  Personality  is  a  will-o'-the-wisp. 

5.  It  is  "man  that  is  born  of  woman." 

6.  It  is  of  the  earth  earthy. 


A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY    35 

7.  It  is  subject  to  passions  and  caprice. 

8.  It  is  not  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God. 

9.  There  is  no  good  in  personality. 

10.  There  is  no  power  in  personality. 

11.  This  generation  has  been  misled  by 
psychology  into  a  worship  of  personality. 

12.  Psychology  is  not  divinely  inspired 
and  has  failed  to  distinguish  the  material 
personality  from  the  spiritual  individuality. 

13.  Material  personality  has  a  somewhat 
similar   relation   to  spiritual   individuality 
that  the  law  had  to  Christianity. 

14.  Jesus  said  of  this  relation:    "I  came 
not  to  destroy  but  to  fulfil." 

15.  Paul  said:    "Not  that  we  should  be 
unclothed,  but  clothed  upon." 

1 6.  It  was  Jesus'  spiritual  individuality, 
not  his  material  personality,   that  healed 
and  taught. 

17.  The  significance  of  Jesus'  life  is  that 
his  material  personality  was  perfectly  in 
tune  with  his  spiritual  individuality. 

1 8.  His    personality    was    always    the 
servant,  the  instrument,  the  agent. 


36    A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

19.  It    always    acted    in    obedience    to 
individuality. 

20.  It  never  attracted  attention  to  itself. 

21.  However,   personality  is   not   to  be 
stultified. 

22.  Personality   must  become   enriched 
by  becoming  the  servant  of  individuality. 

23.  It    must    be    corrected    and    trans- 
formed by  individuality  until  it  disappears 
and  the  individuality  alone  has  full  scope. 

XIII 
SPIRITUAL   INDIVIDUALITY 

1.  The    spiritual    individuality    is    the 
expression  and  reflection  of  God's  intelli- 
gence and  power. 

2.  It   is   the  one   legitimate   factor   in 
Christian  work. 

3.  It  is  God's  image  and  likeness. 

4.  It  is  obedient  only  to  divine  Prin- 
ciple. 

5.  It  is  good. 

6.  It  is  perfect. 

7.  It  is  normal. 


A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    37 

8.  It  is  subject  to  the  law  of  God. 

9.  Because    God    lives,     spiritual    in- 
dividuality lives. 

10.  But    spiritual    individuality    is    not 
God. 

11.  It  merely  expresses,  reflects  God. 

12.  It    does    what    God    does    except 
create. 

13.  God    is    the    thinker,    spiritual    in- 
dividuality the  thought. 

14.  Since    God,     the    Creator,     is    un- 
limited in  power,   intelligence,   and  good- 
ness, man  in  his  spiritual  individuality  is 
also  unlimited  in  power,  intelligence,  and 
goodness. 

15.  This  power,  intelligence,  and  good- 
ness are  never  underived  from  God. 

1 6.  They  are  never  in  brains  and  bodies. 

17.  They   are    eternally    expressions   of 
God's  spiritual  life. 

1 8.  The  spiritual  individuality  is  eternal. 

19.  It  has  individual  existence. 

20.  It  has  unlimited  freedom  in  God's 
unlimited  freedom. 

21.  It  is  free  to  obey  divine  law. 


38    A    PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

22.  It    has    dominion    since    God    has 
dominion. 

23.  Jesus  said  of  his  spiritual  individ- 
uality, "I  and  my  Father  are  one." 

XIV 

CHRISTIANITY    AN    INDIVIDUAL 
DISCOVERY 

1.  Christianity    is    an    individual    dis- 
covery. 

2.  The  letter  introduces  Christianity  to 
the  world,   but  individuals  do  not  really 
discover  Christianity  for  themselves  until 
they  get  the  spirit  of  it;  until  they  are  able 
to  commune  intelligently  with  God;   until 
they  are  in  harmony  with  God's  law;  until 
they  become  humble  and  pure;   until  they 
perceive  the  inherent  power  of  good  over 
evil,  and  are  able  to  prove  it  by  destroying 
evil  in  themselves  and  others. 

3.  I  may  accept  Christianity  as  a  system 
of  thinking;    I  may  subject  my  reason  to 
its  system  of  ideas ;  but  I  have  never  really 
made  that  system  of  ideas  my  own  until  I 


A    PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY    39 

have    actually    practised    them    in    daily 
life. 

4.  It  is  no  great  distinction  to  subject 
my  reason   to   the  propositions  of   Chris- 
tianity. 

5.  I  am  not  necessarily  a  better  man  for 
assenting  intellectually  to  its  logic. 

6.  I  actually  establish  my  claim  to  being 
a  Christian  when  by  practice   I   identify 
myself  with  its  program;   when  I  do  right 
whether  any  one  is  looking  or  not;  when  I 
throw  myself  heart  and  soul  into  the  con- 
flict with  evil,  and  really  accomplish  some- 
thing towards  the  destruction  of  evil. 

XV 

CHRISTIANITY  SUCCESSFUL 

1.  Christ's  Christianity  is  a  success. 

2 .  It  pays  for  itself  because  it  arouses  the 
gratitude  of  its  beneficiaries. 

3.  If  Christianity  has  ever  failed,  it  was 
historic   Christianity,    the   Christianity   of 
creeds,  councils,  policies,  and  intrigues;    it 
was  not  Christ's  Christianity. 


4O    A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY 

4.  There  is  no  reason  why  a  true  system 
of  thinking  and  a  genuine  remedy  for  the 
ills  of  mankind  should  have  to  seek  en- 
dowments for  its  maintenance. 

5.  Christians  should  expect  of  Christ's 
Christianity  that  it  be  a  success. 

6.  They    should    expect    that    Christ's 
followers  be  able  to  support  themselves. 

7.  If  a  religionist  cannot  prove  in  actual 
human  experience  that  good  is  more  power- 
ful than  evil  he  has  no  right  to  support 
from  the  community. 

8.  If  a  religionist  can  prove  the  power 
of  good  over  evil  to  the  extent  of  destroying 
evil,  he  has  a  right  to  depend  upon  that 
ability  for  obtaining  his  livelihood. 

9.  The  community  has  no  right  to  de- 
prive him  of  this  means  of  support. 

XVI 
CHRISTIANITY  TO   DEVELOP 

I.  Jesus  had  more,  faith  in  the  truth 
he  taught  than  had  his  subsequent 
followers. 


A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    4! 

2.  He  believed  that  the  truth  would  be 
so   universally    understood    that   his    own 
achievements  would  be  surpassed.. 

3.  He  placed  no  limit  on  the  develop- 
ment of  Christianity  and  the  revelation  of 
God  to  human  consciousness. 

4.  He    prophesied      that      Christianity 
would  fill  the  earth  and  destroy  all  evil. 

5.  Christians  should  always  expect  and 
look  for:    clearer  definitions  of  good  and 
evil;    further  revelations  of  truth;    greater 
proofs  of  the  power  of  good  over  evil  - 
than  have  been. 


XVII 

ADDING  TO  THE  WORDS  OF  THE 
BOOK 

1.  Commentaries     may    be    useful     in 
elucidating  the  Bible. 

2.  Commentaries  on  the  Bible  and  their 
prominent   use   in    Christian   activity   are 
not  necessarily  " adding"  unto  the  words 
of  the  book. 


42    A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY 

3.  But  it  certainly  is  an  act  of  "adding" 
to  the  words  of  the  book,  or  "  taking  away" 
from  them,  to  advance  any  teaching: 

a.  that  minimizes  the  healing  ministry 
of  Christianity; 

b.  that  denies  the  power  of  good  over 
every  form  of  evil; 

c.  that  makes  good  evil  and  evil  good; 

d.  that  sets  up  ''traditions"  instead  of 
the  Bible  as  authority; 

e.  that  in  any  way  denies  the  authority 
of  the  Bible; 

/.  that  substitutes  the  dead  letter  for 
the  spirit  of  Christianity; 

g.  that  claims  Biblical  authority  for 
"healing"  by  will-power,  suggestion,  per- 
sonal magnetism,  or  hypnotism,  instead  of 
by  the  divine  Mind  alone; 

h.  that  condones  evil  or  postpones  its 
destruction ; 

i .  that  in  any  way  makes  of  none  effect 
the  direct  applicability  of  Christianity  as 
a  solution  for  all  human  woe; 

j.  that  in  any  way  obfuscates  the 
eternality  of  the  order  —  proclaimed  by 


A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    43 

the  Bible  —  of  the  operation  of  good  in 
human  experience. 

XVIII 
PROGRESS   NECESSARY 

1.  A   progressive  attitude   is  necessary 
for  the  discovery  of  truth  and  the  attain- 
ment of  salvation. 

2.  Belief  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  not 
merely  a  supine  assent  to  some  creedal  or 
doctrinal  definition. 

3.  Belief  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  full 
and  active  acknowledgment  of  his  teach- 
ing and  practice. 

4.  His  teaching  was  that  good  is  more 
powerful  than  evil. 

5.  His  practice  proved  his  teaching. 

6.  The  truth  of  his  teaching  is  not  avail- 
able through  vicarious  atonement. 

7.  It  is  available  only  through  individual 
employment. 

8.  No  one  can  really  believe  in  Jesus 
Christ  without  employing  practically  the 
Master's  method. 


44    A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

XIX 

NEED   O'F  SELF-SACRIFICE 

1.  Great  sacrifices  will  have  to  be  made 
in  order  to  recover  Christ's  Christianity. 

2.  Personal     leadership     must    be     re- 
nounced and  rebuked. 

3.  The  Christ  must  be  the  one  Master 
and  the  Bible  the  one  teacher  and  authority. 

4.  Professions    of    Christian    faith    will 
have  to  give  way  to  the  Christ  ideal  of 
teaching  by  example  and  proof. 

5.  Much  courage  and  heroism  will  be 
required  in  the  process  of  sloughing  off  the 
old  and  putting  on  the  new. 

6.  Willingness  to  sacrifice  position  for 
an  idea  is  what  this  age  demands. 

7.  Modesty  must  become  a  habit. 

8.  Humility  must  be  a  fixed  attitude  of 
mind. 

9.  Personal    views    must    be    sacrificed 
upon  the  altar  of  universal  Christianity. 

10.  We   must   be   great   enough    to   let 
personality  step  down  from  the  pulpit,  off 
the    platform,    out    of    the    chancel,    that 


A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    45 

humility   may   accept   a   practical  —  per- 
haps obscure  —  task. 

11.  We  may  be  intelligent,  but  we  must 
also  be  great. 

12.  Greatness    is    willing    to    serve    in 
obscurity,  or  wait  until  God's  plans  have 
matured. 

13.  The  man  whom  God  calls  need  have 
no  anxiety. 

14.  He  can  afford  to  bide  his  time. 

15.  In   God's   plan    there   is   no   haste; 
neither  is  there  any  delay. 

1 6.  When  the  man  is  morally  and  spirit- 
ually  mature,    his    work   will    lie   at    his 
feet. 

XX 

INTUITION 

1.  Intuition    must    be    respected    as    a 
factor  in  the  discovery  and  practice  of  truth. 

2.  Woman  is  highly  gifted  with  the  in- 
tuitive faculty. 

3.  Therefore  the  place  of  woman  in  the 
work  of  attaining  Christian  unity  will  be 
great. 


46    A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

4.  Revelation  and  inspiration  also  have 
their  place  in   the  economy  of   Christian 
activity. 

5.  Reason    and    revelation    should    be 
combined  in  order  to  discover  and  practise 
Christianity. 

6.  The  method  of  the  laboratory  is  not 
out  of  place  in  Christianity. 

7.  Christianity  is  scientific. 

8.  Careful  observation,  deduction,  and 
classification  are  necessary. 

9.  Reason  and  demonstration  test  the 
gleanings  of  intuition, 

10.  But  the  place  cf  intuition  must  not 
be  minimized  in  the  future  as  it  has  been 
in  the  past. 

XXI 
TRUE  SCIENCE 

1.  True    Science    is    the    demonstrable 
knowledge  of  absolute  good. 

2.  To  deny  that  good  can  be  known  is 
to  deny  that  there  is  any  true  Science. 

3.  There  is  no  mysticism  in  the  Science 
of  good. 


A    PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY    47 

4.  It   is   as   definite   as   the   science   of 
mathematics. 

5.  .It  does  not  rest  upon  guess-work  or 
blind   faith,   but  upon   the   perception   of 
good,   the  ability  to  separate  good   from 
evil,  and  the  ability  to  see  the  impotence 
and  nothingness  of  evil. 

XXII 
REASON  AND   EMOTION 

1.  Both  reason  and  emotion  have  their 
place  in  religion. 

2.  But     extreme     sentimentality     and 
emotionalism  have  no  place  in  religion. 

3.  Cold,  unfeeling  intellect  has  no  place 
in  religion. 

4.  Reason  is  analytical  and  static. 

5.  It  should  be  warmed  and  moved  by 
the  impulsion  of  true  spiritual  emotion. 

6.  Emotion  should  be  held  in  check  by 
reason. 

7.  In  this  way  the  balance  of  the  human 
qualities  may  be  maintained. 

8.  Only   Christ  Jesus  —  of  all   men   in 


48    A    PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

history  —  exemplified     the     perfect     bal- 
ance. 

9.  Our  aim  should  be  to  express  the  true 
emotion  of  divine  Love  and   the  perfect 
order  of  divine  Mind. 

10.  God's  man  is  perfect. 

11.  Therefore  he  has  perfect  balance. 

XXIII 
GOD   IS   PRINCIPLE 

1.  God  may  properly  be  called  Principle. 

2.  God  is  unchanging  good. 

3.  God  is  eternally  consistent. 

4.  Because   God   is  eternally  and   con- 
sistently good,  he  is.  the  Father  of  all  law. 

5.  God  is  also  First  Cause. 

6.  Therefore  God  is  the  Principle  of  the 
universe,  creating  and  conditioning  all. 

7.  God  is  also  Spirit,  Mind,  Love. 

8.  God  is  a  conscious  Being. 

9.  Calling  this  Spirit,  Mind,  Love,  this 
conscious  Being,  Principle,  does  not  render 
him  cold  and  lifeless. 

10.  It  simply  brings  to  the  consciousness 


A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    49 

of   the  religionist  God's  capacity  as  sole 
Cause,  his  quality  of  unchanging  good. 

11.  A  new  definition  does  not  change 
God. 

12.  It  does  not  necessarily  set  up  an 
idol. 

13.  But  it  may  reveal  more  of  his  nature 
to  us. 

14.  The  Bible  promises  more  revelation. 

15.  Then  we  must  become  reconciled  to 
new  definitions. 

1 6.  It  is  divine   Principle  that  is  the 
power  in  Christian  healing. 

XXIV 

NATURE,   LIFE,   AND   LAW 
SPIRITUAL 

1.  Nature,  life,  and  law  are  spiritual. 

2.  They  are  not  material. 

3.  They  are  the  emanations  of  God's 
universe. 

4.  God's  universe  is  spiritual. 

5.  Nature,  life,  and  law  must  be  like 
their  Maker. 


50    A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

6.  Is  God  all? 

7.  What  is  reality? 

8.  Is  matter  a  part  of  God's  creation? 

9.  Has  it  any  part  in  the  economy  of 
God's  universe? 

10.  These    questions    are    not    new    to 
philosophy. 

11.  But  historic  Christianity  has  never 
thoroughly  grappled  with  them. 

12.  Christianity  will   never  be  able  to 
present  a  solid  front  to  evil  while  it  be- 
lieves in  the  divinity  or  reality  of  matter. 

13.  Christians  must  answer  all  questions 
from  the  standpoint  of  Principle,  from  the 
standpoint  of  God's  infinite  and  eternally 
consistent  perfection. 

14.  Only  in  this  way  can  we  live  up  to 
Lessing's  definition  of   the  essence  of  all 
religion. 

XXV 

RELATIVE  AND   ABSOLUTE   IN 
CHRISTIANITY 

I.   There  are  two  sets  of  teaching  in  the 
Bible:  the  absolute  and  the  relative. 


A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    5! 

2.  The  relative  prepares  the  way  for 
the  absolute. 

3.  The  relative  is  never  final. 

4.  The  absolute  is  always  final. 

5.  In  the  Old  Testament  much  of  the 
law  was  relative. 

6.  But    the    truth    Jesus    taught    was 
absolute. 

7.  The  absolute  is  the  real. 

XXVI 
CHURCH  AND  STATE 

1.  The  State  is  free. 

2.  The  Church  is  free. 

3.  The  one  shall  serve  the  other. 

4.  But  neither  shall  be  the  master  or  the 
slave  of  the  other. 

5.  They  shall  not  be  bound  together. 

6.  The  State  shall  make  fair  and  im- 
partial laws  which  guarantee  freedom  and 
justice  to  all. 

7.  The  Church  shall  uphold  the  State. 

8.  The    ideal    State    is    the    Christian 
democracy. 


52    A    PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

9.    The     ideal     Church     is     democratic 
Christianity. 

XXVII 
PURPOSE   OF   CHRISTIANITY 

1.  The  sole  purpose  of  Christianity  is  to 
do  good. 

2.  True  Christianity  is  not  a    political 
institution. 

3.  The  only  relation  of  true  Christianity 
to  politics  is  to  endeavor  to  purify  them 
and  make  them  a  channel  for  the  overcom- 
ing of  evil  with  good. 

4.  True  Christianity  has  nothing  to  do 
with  worldly  pomp  and  splendor. 

5.  It  has  no  desire  to  coerce  or  injure 
"heretics"  and  unbelievers. 

6.  It  has  no  purpose  to  gather  all  into 
one  fold  as  an  end  in  itself. 

7.  If  Christians  do  unite  in  one  fold,  it 
will  be  incidental  to  their  becoming  con- 
vinced that  Christianity  is  able  to  realize 
its  purpose  to  serve  the  race. 

8.  The  eternal  purpose  of  Christianity 
is  to  overcome  evil  with  good. 


A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY    53 
XXVIII 

THE    WORD    HERETIC    OBSOLETE 

1.  All  men  are  involved  in  the  human 
problem. 

2.  All  are  confronted  with  the  necessity 
of  choosing  between  good  and  evil. 

3.  Christianity    has    the    solution    for 
every  ill  that  flesh  is  heir  to. 

4.  It  is  not  the  province  of  Christianity 
to  force  anyone  to  accept  the  solution. 

5.  Therefore  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a 
heretic. 

6.  The  disposition  to  use  the  term  pre- 
supposes an   attitude   that  is  inimical   to 
Christian  unity. 

7.  If  Christians  had  been  more  Christ- 
like  in  the  past,  if  they  had  proved  the 
efficacy  of  Christianity  by  removing  evil 
from  human  experience,  there  would  have 
been   fewer   persons   willing   to   be   called 
"heretics,"  and  the  world  would  have  been 
a  happier  place  to  dwell  in. 

8.  Jesus  was  a  gentleman. 


54    A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

9.  It  behooves  his  followers  to  be  gentle- 
men. 

10.  If    more    ''Christians"     had    been 
gentlemen  in  the  past  there  would  be  fewer 
divisions  to-day. 

ii/  Jesus    had    a    great    tolerance    for 
honesty  of  purpose  and  conviction. 

12.  He  was  loving  and  kind  to  those  who 
differed  with  him. 

13.  He  was  even  loving  and  kind  to  the 
wayward  and  disobedient. 

14.  It  was  the  hypocrites  for  whom  he 
showed  no  mercy. 

15.  His   treatment   of   them  was  most 
severe. 

16.  They    "added"    or    "took    away" 
from  the  words  of  the  book  of  life  by  sub- 
verting its  simple  and  direct  teaching. 

17.  They  made  the  words  of  the  book 
of  none  effect. 

18.  But  the  hypocrites  were  not  "here- 
tics." 

19.  The  hypocrites  were  ostensibly  the 
"orthodox." 

20.  The  "heretics"  are  usually  sincere. 


A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    55 

21.  When   they   are   sincere   seekers   of 
truth,   they  are  the   " little  ones,"   whom 
Jesus  warns  against  "offending." 

22.  Calling  them  heretics  does  not  prove 
to  them  the  power  of  Christianity. 

23.  It  does  not  safeguard  Christianity. 

24.  It  is  liable  to  give  them  a  wrong 
conception  of  Christianity. 

25.  It  may  postpone  their  discovery  of 
truth. 

26.  This  is  indeed  an  " offense"  to  them. 

27.  The    word    heretic    should    become 
obsolete. 

XXIX 
CHRISTIANS   CAN   UNITE 

1.  Christians  can  unite. 

2.  They  can  unite  on  definition. 

3.  They  can  unite  on  practice. 

4.  They  can  unite  on  method. 

5.  They  can  unite  on  form  and  organiza- 
tion. 

6.  But  their  definitions,  practice,  method, 
form,  and  organization  must  be  essential, 
practical,  necessary,  and  direct. 


56    A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY 

7.  They    must    be    essential,    practical, 
necessary,  and  direct  in  the  service  of  the 
central  function  of  religion. 

8.  They  must   all   conduce   to   the  de- 
struction of  evil  with  good. 

9.  Christians  will   never  unite  on  dog- 
ma,  on  subtle  philosophy,   and  fine-spun 
theories. 

10.  They  will    unite   only  upon    essen- 
tials. 

1 1 .  They  will  unite  only  upon  the  basis 
of   a   truth    that   is   useful    to    the   entire 
race. 

12.  The   first    step    toward    unity   is    to 
realize   that   there  is   a   basis    upon    which 
Christians  can  unite:    namely,   the  central 
teaching  of  Christianity,  that  good  is  more 
powerful  than  evil. 

13.  The  second  step  is  to  seek  the  religion 
that  is  best  practising  this  truth,  that  is  best 
organized  to  serve  humanity  in  solving  the 
human  problem. 

14.  The   third   step   is   to  be   willing   to 
unite. 

15.  The  fourth  step  is  to  unite. 


A   PLATFORM   OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    57 

XXX 

"COME  UNTO  ME" 

1.  "Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you 
rest." 

2.  These  words   are   among   the   sub- 
limest  ever  spoken. 

3.  They  were  uttered  by  the  greatest 
Gentleman  who  ever  lived. 

4.  They  breathe  His  gentle  manner  of 
making  converts. 

5.  They  contain  no  pompous  boast. 

6.  They  appeal  to  no  traditions. 

7.  Neither  do  they  say,  "Away  with 
the  heretics." 

8.  They  do  not  say,  "Go." 

9.  They  say,  "Come." 

10.  But  that  is  not  all. 

11.  Jesus  made  a  promise. 

12.  And    he    was    able    to    fulfil    that 
promise. 

13.  "Come    unto    me  .  .  .  and    I    will 
give  you  rest." 

14.  Jesus  understood  so  well  the  power 


58    A    PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

of  good  over  evil  that  He  was  able  to  satisfy 
restless  humanity. 

15.  And  He  did  not  discriminate. 

1 6.  His  invitation  was  to  all:  to  rich  and 
poor,  high  and  low  —  "all  ye  that  labor." 

17.  Is  not  this  text  at  once  an  inspira- 
tion  and   a  warning   to   the   zealots   who 
would  favor  Christian  unity  if  the  world 
would  come  to  them,  adopt  their  way  of 
thinking  ? 

1 8.  What  does  it  mean  to  say,   Come 
unto  me? 

19.  Does  it  not  mean,  Think  as  I  think?" 
Come    into    my    state    of    consciousness? 
Agree  with  me? 

20.  And  what  justification  have  we  for 
asking  others  to  think  as  we  think? 

21.  Can  we  give  them  rest? 

22.  Is  our  teaching,  is  our  organization, 
is  our  practice  adapted  to  meet  the  needs 
of  all  mankind? 

23.  Can  it  solve  the  universal  human 
problem? 

24.  Many  ardent  church  members  them- 
selves have  no  rest. 


A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN   UNITY    59 

25.  They  are  not  satisfied. 

26.  Their    own    problems    remain    un- 
solved. 

27.  If  their  religion  does  not  meet  the 
needs  of  those  within  its  gates,  how  can  it 
hope  to  help  those  without? 

28.  And  what  is  it  to  have  rest? 

29.  Is  it  not  to  be  free  from  pride,  envy, 
jealousy,  ambition,  greed,  hatred,  and  all 
false  appetite? 

30.  Is  it  not  to  understand  and  practise 
the  power  of  good  over  evil?   . 

31.  Is  it  not  a  progressive  awakening  in 
His  likeness? 

32.  If  we  are  able  to  quote  and  practise 
the  compassionate  words  of  Jesus,  "all  ye 
that  labor,"   we   cannot   discriminate  be- 
tween the  " orthodox"  and  the  "heretic." 

33.  We  are  forced  to  face  the  human 
problem,   with  which   all,  all  are  wrestl- 
ing. 

34.  If  we  are  as  compassionate  as  Jesus, 
then  we  are  just  as  solicitous  about  the 
peace  and  joy  and  health  and  salvation  ,of 
those  who  differ  with  us  in  religious  belief 


60    A    PLATFORM    OF    CHRISTIAN    UNITY 

as  about  those  who  have  assented  to  our 
way  of  thinking. 

35.  "Come    unto    me  .  .   .  and    /   will 
give  you  rest." 

36.  The  "I"  that  can  give  rest  is  not 
the  miserable  personality  of  anybody,  with 
its  opinions,  foibles,  and  finite  beliefs. 

37.  The  only  "I"  that  can  give  rest  is 
the  ever-present   Christ;    and   the   gentle 
activity   of   the    Christ-spirit   is   breathed 
upon  the  minds  of  mortals  through  their 
direct  reliance  uopn  the  word  of  God ;  also 
through    the    loving    ministration    of    in- 
dividuals who  rely  utterly  upon  the  word 
of   God;     of   individuals   who    have   been 
instructed  in  a  correct  system  of  teaching; 
who  have  lost  much  of  self ;  whose  spiritual 
individuality    has    ascendancy    over    the 
material  personality ;  individuals  who  have 
seen  a  vision  of  the  ever-present  Christ; 
who  can  prove  by  their  mental  and  spiritual 
practice  that  good  is  more  powerful  than 
evil  —  even    to    the   utter    destruction    of 
evil;    who  can  prove  that  Christianity  is 
true  and  is  humanity's  helper. 


A   PLATFORM    OF   CHRISTIAN  .  VJNYTY    6 1 


38.  Will  Christians  unite? 

39.  The  teaching  is  ready,  the  organiza- 
tion is  ready,  the  workers  are  ready. 

40.  They  are  ready  to  serve  a  united 
Christendom. 

41.  They  are  saying  virtually:    "Come 
unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

42.  They  are  virtually  saying  this,  be- 
cause they  already  are  giving  rest. 

43.  They  are  solving  the  human  problem. 

44.  They  are  proving  the  truth  of  the 
Bible. 

45.  Will  the  Churches  unite? 

46.  The  churches,  the  organizations,  the 
hierarchies  probably  will  not  —  yet. 

47.  They   are    apparently    too    crystal- 
lized, too  irreconcilable. 

48.  Will  Christians  unite? 

49.  Yes.     They  already  are  uniting  — 
on  the  platform  outlined  on  the  foregoing 
pages. 

50.  "Can  ye  not  discern  the  signs  of 
the  times?" 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY, 
BERKELEY 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  T|HE  LAST  DATE 
r^'  $  *  DAMPED  BELOW 

*  Books  not  returned  on  time  are  subject  to  a  fine  of 
50c  per  volume  after  the  third  day  overdue,  increasing 
to  $1.00  per  volume  after  the  sixth  day.  Books  not  in 
demand  may  be  renewed  if  application  is  made  before 
expiration  of  loan  period. 


Ill 


AUG  17  1925 


lylord  Bros. 

Makers 

practise,  N.  V. 

'  PAi.  JAN,  21, 1908 


ID 


4880 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


